Neil Young & Crazy Horse Announce Americana Album

March 19, 2012

The first of a pair of forthcoming LPs from Neil Young and the reformed Crazy Horse lineup was revealed tonight in the form of a folk covers collection dubbed simply Americana, due out on June 5th. Don’t assume its “songs we all know from kindergarten” description or children’s choir accompaniment mean Neil, Billy Talbot, Ralph Molina, and Frank “Poncho” Sampedro have re-imagined their legendary rock show for kids, however. Per the press release (via Rolling Stone), there’s political and cultural relevance to the set below the surface:

What ties these songs together is the fact that while they may represent an America that may no longer exist. The emotions and scenarios behind these songs still resonate with what’s going on in the country today with equal, if not greater impact nearly 200 years later. The lyrics reflect the same concerns and are still remarkably meaningful to a society going through economic and cultural upheaval, especially during an election year. They are just as poignant and powerful today as the day they were written.

Produced by Neil Young, John Hanlon, and Mark Humphreys, more surprising cuts include “Gallows Pole,” ’50s doo-wop hit “Get A Job,” and “God Save The Queen,” which was unspecified as either a cover of the Sex Pistols’ punk anthem or the British monarchical anthem. Check out the cover above and tracklist below: